Arm-chair with adjustable sliding seat and back.



B.BALSER. v ARM CHAIR WIT'H ADJUSTABLE SLIDING SEAT AND BACK.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 27. I914.

1 1 9 1 ,269. Patented July 18, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Witnesses B. BALSER.

ARM CHAIR WITH ADJUSTABLE SLIDING SEAT AND BACK.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 27,1914.

1 1 9 l ,269. x I Patented July 18, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Witnesses BENJAMIN BALSER, 0F DES MOINES, IOWA.

ARM-CHAIR WITH ADJUSTABLE SLIDING- SEAT AND BACK.

. Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 18, 1916.

Application filed July 27, 1914. Serial No. 853,390.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN BALSER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Des Moines, county of Polk, and Statev of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Arm-Chair with Adjustable Sliding Seat and Back, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to-provide a new, convenient and useful armchair which is fixed to the floor, inexpensive and durable, and which may readily be adapted for use in all theaters, moving picture houses, auditoriums, assembly halls and other places where large numbers of people meet and are accommodated with seats. The usual and customary arrangement of the chairs in such places is to set them in rows, one row back of another with a narrow aisle or passageway in between the rows. Observation and experience have shown the inconvenience and crowding caused by people passing back and forth in between the passageways or aisles, particularly when part of the row is already occupied by some persons and others need to pass them, in moving into and out of the same row. In most instances such passage is practically impossible or at least inconvenient unless the persons sitting down rise up out of their seats to permit the others to pass. Such rising and sitting down, especially when the operation becomes necessary a number of times, is annoying and bothersome. The chair embraced in my invention is designed purposely to obviate this particular source of inconvenience and annoyance. By the use of my invention it no longer becomes necessary for one to rise or move out of his seat to permit another person to pass. The occupant of my newly invented chair is not disturbed in his sitting position. Through the instrumentality of the adjustable sliding apparatus, which is part of the chair, by the use of slight force and pressure he" is able to push backward the seat and back of his chair, at the same time carrying himself in the same direction a sufficient distance so that he is removed out of the way of the party passing him. When the passageway or aisle becomes clear, the occupant of the chair can then bring himself forward into original position. At no time in the backward or forward movement has the occupant of the chair-been caused to stir out of 1118 seat or in any way inconvenienced or annoyed. I attaln the object of my invention as above stated by the constructlon hereinafter described and claimed and which is shown in the preferred embodlment in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved chair; Fig. 2 is a vertical section thereof; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the adjustable sliding seat support in its extended form; Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a section of the sliding seat support; and Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical transverse section of the sliding seat support as applied to the chair.

Referring by like characters of reference to corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral 1 designates the upright side supports or frame members of the chair each being capped by anarm rest 2 and braced from the other frame member by a horizontal bar 5.

The back3 is fixed toeach slidable section 6 of the seat supporting means and also preferably braced from the sections 6 by angular pieces 3 which are bolted to the back along the edge 3".

Fixed to the opposing faces of the side members 1 are the forwardly and downwardly inclined grooved tracks 7 of I-section with which the box sections 6 slidably engage, each section being of hollow formation and having its outer side wall provided with a slot 17 to interlock in the groove of the respective track 7. On the opposite or inner wall of each section 6 is an integral trunnion or stub shaft 9 on which is journaled a bracket 8 of the seat 4. Through a bore 9 in the trunnion 9 extends a bolt 24, the head 25 of which is countersunk to lie flush with the inner surface of the section, and the projecting, screw threaded end receiving a nut 27 to hold the washer 26 against the end of the trunnion. The washer is of larger diameter than the trunnion to overlie and retain the respective seat bracket 8 on the latter.

The rear end of each support section 6 is closed by a wall 19 while the forward end is only partially closed to leave an opening through which a second hollow section-13 operates the latter being telesco ically received by section 6 and similarly formed with a slot 17 in coincidence with slot 17 whereby each section will have sliding and interlocking engagement in the grooves of track 7. Roller bearings 16 are journaled on shafts 22 within .the section 6 to guide and facilitate the telescopic movement of the section 13 thereinto, and similar bearings 16 journaled on shafts 22 bear on the ridges 23 of track 7 to ease the movement therebetween.

Opposing slot 17, section 13 is provided with a slot 20 in which operates a pin 21 fixed on the embraced track 7 which limits relative movement between the section and track. Below the trunnion 9, a slot 18 is provided in each section 6 in which operates a pin 19 carried by the telescopic section 13 for limiting relative movement between the sections. Thus the seat supporting means is limited in its extension.

The under forward edge of each bracket 8 is recessed to receive a stud 10 on the adjacent section 6 and the rear upper edge of the bracket and overlying seat portion are also recessed to receive a stud ,11, which studs maintain the seat in operative position. A stop 12 also on the section 6 serves as a buffer to the seat when swung up on its trunnions 9.

I claim:

1. A chair comprising spaced upright side supports having rigid arm rests on their upper parts, upwardly and nearwardly inclined tracks fixed to the inner sides of the supports below the arm rests, a seat, seat supporting means slidably engagedcwith the tracks and including side' box" etions extending upwardly above the seat on opposite sides thereof, a seat back carried by the box sections, and an angular brace on each box sectlon connecting the upper surface of the latter to the seat back and extending forwardly under the adjacent arm rest and between the side supports to constitute with the upwardly extending portion of the underlying box section, a seat guard, said seat guards being movable with the seat supporting means between the side supports.

2. A chair comprising spaced side members having inclined seats, I-shaped tracks in the seats of said members, a seat supporting box for each track having one end closed and the opposite end partly open, each box being provided with a slot extending throughout the length of the box to slidably engage the web of the respective track, said boxes receiving the flanges at the inner side of the track, integral trunnions on the boxes having bores extending completely therethrough, a seat on the trunnions, bolts passing through the bores for securing the seat thereon, the head of each bolt being countersunk to lie flush with the interior wall of the respective box, upper and lower rollers in the boxes, a second box telescopically arranged in a respective one of the first boxes and engaging with therollers, each second box being hollow and having a slot registering with the slot of the first box, said second boxes slidably engaging the webs of the respective tracks, upper and lower rollers in the second boxes engaging said inner fla'nges of the tracks, and means to limit relative sliding between the boxes and the tracks.

BENJAMIN BALSER. Witnesses:

C. J. ELLER, LEDA MASON. 

